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Does Weed Help With High Blood Pressure? Relief & Benefits

This post is part of our Best Dispensaries in Arizona series, brought to you by Cannabist. 

Note: The content of this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or another qualified health professional before making any changes to your treatment or if you have any concerns about your mental health. Do not ignore or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read here.

It’s no surprise that marijuana can help cultivate feelings of relaxation, boost mood, and alter how we feel–physically, mentally, and even psychologically. But did you know that weed is also thought to help ease a wide array of negative symptoms associated with health conditions like high blood pressure?

High blood pressure–also referred to as hypertension–is a widespread condition where the blood pressure in your arteries is consistently higher than a healthy range. The pressure is dependent on how much blood your heart is able to pump based on any resistance in your arteries. Narrower arterial walls and larger amounts of blood pumped to your heart are directly correlated with higher blood pressure. Sources of high blood pressure could be anything from hormone imbalances, too much salt and alcohol in your regular diet, an irregularity in the way your arteries deliver blood to your vital organs, obstructed airways, or even from over the counter medications like ibuprofen.

Why is managing blood pressure so important, you may ask? High blood pressure increases the risk of many other potentially life-threatening health conditions, including stroke, aneurysms, heart attacks, heart disease, and heart failure, unfavorable cognitive changes, irreversible eye damage, and that’s not even the half of it. The unfortunate truth is that, in the U.S. alone, approximately half of adults suffer from high blood pressure, and only 54% of that group takes care of their condition in the way that is required. Many others are unaware they even have it. As a result, high blood pressure is a contributing factor to more than half a million fatalities in America every year.

The dangerous thing about hypertension is that many people can have it without knowing. If left unmanaged, it is a recipe for igniting other ailments that can cause irreparable damage to your heart and blood vessels. Medications like diuretics and calcium channel blockers, as well as ACE inhibitors, are what is generally prescribed to patients with high blood pressure, but these can be harmful to your body, too. Thankfully, more studies have been conducted to reveal that cannabis can reduce blood pressure levels and help manage symptoms of high blood pressure in various ways, with little to no negative side effects.

So, is it true, will weed lower high blood pressure? Let’s find out.

Weed and High Blood Pressure

Is weed good for high blood pressure, you ask? First, let’s be clear about one thing: Please do NOT say, “Well, I smoke weed/dab/eat weed gummies, so I don’t need to worry about getting my blood pressure checked or getting my regular doctor’s visits in.” Okay? Do you promise? 

Having said that, we can move on. Weed and high blood pressure are thought to interact positively in several ways, and in some instances, marijuana may serve as a blood pressure regulator. (Again, this is something you should discuss with your doctor.)

So how does weed potentially regulate blood pressure? The endocannabinoid system in your body is believed to play a hefty role in managing your cardiovascular system and long-term heart health. Here’s what we believe: When endocannabinoid neurotransmitters are secreted by vascular tissues, they stimulate cannabinoid receptors, which send signals to your arteries to relax and let blood flow through to the heart. As a result, the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood. Consuming THC is thought to activate those receptors.

Headaches, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizziness are all symptoms of high blood pressure that cannabis might be able to help alleviate. When cannabis interacts with the body, it activates vasodilation–responsible for lowering blood pressure levels. The positive arterial and ocular pressure responses in patients who have high blood pressure are much longer and stronger than in those who don’t suffer from hypertension.

Those with known high blood pressure are often prescribed medications that can lead to adverse side effects, such as chest pain, muscle cramps, difficulty falling or staying asleep, and tremors. Other unwanted side effects of prescription medications may include headaches, nausea, and fatigue–all of which cannabis can potentially help ease. 

It is worth noting that high stress levels can exacerbate blood vessels to narrow as well as intensify heartbeat rate. In response to stressful stimuli, your body generates a surge of hormones. Weed is phenomenal for minimizing stress, as it can help promote feelings of relaxation due to its calming effects. If you are constantly in a state of stress, you are at higher risk for high blood pressure, so using weed to de-stress and incorporating more de-stressing activities such as meditation, long walks, yoga, journaling, and listening to peaceful music can all help.

Does smoking weed cause high blood pressure? Interestingly enough, if you abruptly stop consuming weed after heavy cannabis use, you might notice an abnormal rise in blood pressure. Blood pressure levels should be monitored in people with hypertension who are trying to cut back on or quit cannabis consumption. Similarly, consuming substantial amounts of weed can cause blood pressure to decline rapidly, which can lead to lightheadedness and dizziness–another reason why it is important to consult with a medical professional to help determine what dosage and which strains are appropriate for you.

Let’s not forget that lifestyle habits are equally if not more important than taking medications and substances like marijuana to keep high blood pressure symptoms at bay. Proper diet, sustaining a healthy weight, increasing physical activity, and managing stress are all ingredients required to keep high blood pressure under control. 

Is Smoking Weed the Only Way To Consume THC for High Blood Pressure Treatment?

Smoking being the fastest acting method for consuming cannabis as a treatment for high blood pressure. That said, smoking weed isn’t the only way to receive the benefits of cannabis, and in fact, there are potentially healthier methods to consume THC to normalize blood pressure. Oils, topicals, and edibles, are other forms of cannabis that may relieve symptoms associated with hypertension.

But truthfully, the method of weed consumption you choose does have a slight impact on blood pressure. Ingesting cannabis can be a safer option for those with high blood pressure, as smoking and vaping have the potential to cause inflammation and raise the possibility for clogged arteries. When clogged and inflamed, arteries cannot provide a normal flow of blood to the heart and body, becoming a gateway to suffering a heart attack or stroke. 

Now, let’s gloss over the best strains to treat high blood pressure.

Best Strains for High Blood Pressure

Blood pressure changes are not as prevalent in habitual cannabis consumers, but not all weed products are created equal. Products that are rich in CBD are believed to reduce blood pressure due its anxiolytic properties. CBD is essentially a very mild tranquilizer, which can help reduce tension and mitigate stress-induced rises in blood pressure. Research suggests that CBD has a beneficial effect on heart health, namely lowering resting blood pressure levels through relaxing arterial walls.

Some of the best weed strains for hypertension include Blue Runtz–which contains large amounts of the terpene limonene–known to help you relax. Blue Dream, a hybrid, helps soothe your body and mind–exactly what your blood vessels require for hypertension. Northern Lights is an indica that minimizes pain and muscle tension in the body by boosting blood flow and circulation. Purple Kush is another strain that promotes relaxation and stress reduction. For those experiencing nausea as a side effect of hypertension or associated medications, Mango Kush is an indica the perfect remedy. 

As you can see, there is something out there for everyone, so it is crucial to consult with a budtender to ensure you are purchasing the right cannabis products to help with your specific symptoms, needs, and tolerance levels.

Which Is Better for High Blood Pressure: Indica or Sativa? 

Now that the question “does weed help with high blood pressure,” is out of the way, the next question we know you’re itching to know is whether sativa or indica is better for high blood pressure. Sativa and indica both offer different capabilities, and neither is necessarily “better” for high blood pressure. However, a specific strain might be better at tackling specific symptoms you encounter as a result of high blood pressure. That said, indica–dominant strains may be better for sativa due to its relaxing effects, allowing your body and arterial walls to ease and open. 

Some research shows that cannabis use can dramatically increase your blood pressure and heart rate before it decreases it. That said, your body can quickly develop a tolerance for cannabis that will lead to lower blood pressure immediately after consumption.

How To Purchase Marijuana

Interested in purchasing weed from a rad dispensary in Tempe? You’ll want to check out Cannabist Tempe. Not only do they carry goods from top brands like Hedy and Classix, but they also offer enormous deals for first time shoppers, as well as daily deals and loyalty rewards. Their Tempe brick and mortar is the perfect blend of chic and resourceful, with vibrantly stocked shelves of most loved products ranging from edibles and pre-rolls to vape cartridges and consumable oils. If you’ve consulted a medical professional and come to the conclusion that incorporating weed as a treatment might be right for you, you won’t want to miss out on checking out this place!

Check out Cannabist Tempe weed products today!

Key Takeaways on Weed and High Blood Pressure

So does weed help with high blood pressure? The current research certainly suggests it! Let’s run it back on all the ways weed may help relieve symptoms associated with high blood pressure.

• Many experience high blood pressure–commonly known as hypertension–without showing any signs
• Cannabinoids may have powerful effects on the cardiovascular system and can aid arterial dilation, in turn stabilizing blood pressure to allow the blood to flow through to the heart
• Cannabis use may initially skyrocket your blood pressure and heart rate before it decreases and regulates it
• High stress can lead to high blood pressure, and cannabis can help de-stress
• Cannabis may help relieve tons of unwanted side effects that come from high blood pressure as well as associated medications prescribed for it, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, physical tension and muscle cramps 

Any concerns with blood pressure levels should be discussed with a medical professional, of course, but if you are hoping to try a more holistic approach to tackling high blood pressure, or want to ease undesirable symptoms associated with taking high blood pressure medications, you might want to consider trying weed. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure but are at risk due to older age, genetics, obesity, alcoholism, or living a sedentary lifestyle, consuming weed can help reduce your risk for serious health complications as they relate to regulating blood pressure. We hope you found all the answers you’re looking for in this article.

About the author: Courtney Pester is a San Diego based, San Francisco bred millennial with a passion for design and self-expression.  She prides herself in her charcuterie board making skills and loves a good ocean dip. When she’s not pumping out articles, you can catch her playing tennis, writing songs, DJing, and enjoying the diversity of events and restaurants San Diego has to offer!

Media credits: Unless otherwise noted, images in this article are copyright of LaJolla.com